Caterpillar-tractor



R. GRGVER AND W. A. MEYER.

CATERPILLAR TRACTOR.

APPL'ICATION FILED MAY25 |916.

Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

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UNITED STATES RAY GBOVER AND WILLIAM A. MEYER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

CATERPILLARTRACTOR.

Application filed May 25,

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, RAY Gnovnn and WILLIAM A. MEYER, citizens of the United States, residing at the city of Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improve ments in Caterpillar-Tractors, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in tractor chains for that class of vehicles commonly known as caterpillar tractors, and in which the vehicle travels upon chains which revolve about the supporting front and rear wheels on the respective sides ofthe vehicle.

Our invention contemplates utilizing all of the wheels of the vehicle as steering wheels, or at least the front and rear wheels, `and the object of our invention is to provide a form of chain which will be capable of adjusting itself to the wheels and will not unship nor bind upon the sprocket teeth or parts of the wheel which the chain engages, in su-eli a manner as to cause injurious cramping or loss of power.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the front and rear wheels of a traction vehicle equipped with our ini roved traction chain, the bod of the vehic e and driving connections being omitted.

F ig. 2 is a horizontal section drawn to a plane exposing the axles and steering connections of a front and rear wheel of a traction vehicle equipped with our improved traction chain.

Fig. 3 isa diagram illustrating the osition which the chains tend to assume w en the vehicle is traveling along a circular path.

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a modified form of chain link joint.

Like parts are identified by the same reference numerals throughout the several views.

The supporting wheels of the vehicle comprise sprocket wheels 1 and 2, the rims of which are formed to suit the requirements of the chains upon which these wheels travel. In the drawings, the wheel rims 3 are provided with projecting marginal flanges 4, suitably notched at 5 to receive the projecting ends of cross pins 6 forming part of the connection between the links 7 of the chain. Each link 7 has universal joint connection with the adjacent links. In Figs. 1 and 2 connecting members 10 are employed. Each Speciiication of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

191e. serial No. 99,744.

of these connecting members is provided with a cross pin 6 which has its respective ends journaled in lips 11 carried by one of the links 7, and between which the connecting member 10 is received. The connecting member 1.0 is provided near itsother end with a cross pin 12 disposed at right angles to the cross pin 6 and having its end journaled in lips 13 carried by the next succeeding link 7, and which also embrace the conneeting member 10, thereby forming a double knuckle joint. Each link is also provided with a tread projection 15, preferably removably socketed in the link, and which may, if desired, be non-metallic.

The pivot `ins 6 allow the links to oscillate upon eac other in such a manner that the chains can adjust themselves to the curvature of the wheels 1 and 2 over which they travel, the projecting ends of the pins 6 engaging in the recesses 5 of the wheels to prevent slipping. Pivot pins 12, passing through members 10 and knuckles 13, make laterally hinged connections between the several links, permitting the chain to move freely in a horizontal arcuate path. When the wheels are turned for steering purposes, this chain will not have any material tendency to leave the wheels nor will the links, of which said chain is composed, cramp or bind.

It will be understood that the power will be applied to all of the wheels through driving axle shaft 20, universally jointed at 21, preferably in the central plane of each wheel; also that each of the wheels will be supported from a stationaryV axle 22 formed in sections pivotally connected with each other with the axis of such pivotal connections extending vertically through the axes of the respective driving joints 21. The outer section 23 of each supportin axle is provided with a skein 25 upon w ich the wheel hub 26 is mounted, and which may therefore be swung upon said vertical axis for steering purposes. The outer section 27 of the driving axle will, of course, be connected with the wheel hub 26, and steering arms 28 may be employed for oscillating the outer supporting axle section and skein for steering purposes. The general arrangement and organization of the driving and steerin mechanism will preferably be similar to t at disclosed in prior atent` to H. A. Frantz, No. 644,590, dated arch 6, 1900,

for motor Wheel, and further description thereof is therefore deemed unnecessary.

Owing to the fact that the .power is applied to cach o'f the wheels over which our improved tractor chains run there will he little tendency for either chain to draw upon one wheel from the other wheel, since the chains are not used to transmit power from one wheel to the other, and owing to the fact that thel links are universally jointed or articulated, it is obvious that they are free fto assume the curved position indicated diagraniniatically in Fig. 8. It will, ofcourse, loe understood that ovvino- 'to the increased distance between "the Wheels along the curved line which the ichains tend Avto assume over that of a straight line connecting Isaid wheels, the chains will 'tend to tighten when 'the Wheels are tirined tor steering purposes, and this Will prevent them from assuming;r n position exactly in the are of curvature along which lthe vehicle travels. lint the chains will ordinarilyl be sulliciently loose when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line to allow thein to approximately coliform to the arc of curvature along which the vehicle travels When turning, unless the turn is unusually abrppt.

Referring now to Fig. l, it will be observed *that 'each of the links 7 'rs provided at one end with a projectin post 31 having a ball'BQ on the end 'thereo The opposite end'of the link is provided with an offset 'ortion 33 corresponding with 'the post 31 ut having a spherical socket 34 to receive the ball 32 carried by the next Vsucceeding link. With this construction each link is articulated with the next by a ball and socket joint which, of course, allows a universal movement of each link upon the next. Our im )roved traction chain is peculiarly adapted 'or use on motor driven vehicles whichtravel'over soft earth into which the wheels oan ordinary traction vehiclewould deeply'sink. Ourtractor chains are therefore particularly adapted for use in connection with farm tractors. Any 1tendency of the wheels to sink into'the ground increases the sup ortingarea and gripping engagement o 'the tread vmiernloer 1'5 with the ground. When the slack ofl't'he `chains is taken up, the entire length of chain on the under side will, vof course, be Vin giri'ppin engagement with the soil. By using a four wheels for driving and steering urposes, wears able toproduce a -vehielew ich may travel freely over mai-shy ground and which'may beturned atwill without danger dr unshi'ppng 'the chains.

l. The con'ibination with a motor driven vehicle having wheels provided with spaced peripheral notches, means i'or turning each wheel upon a vertical axis, and means 'lor rotating` each wheel separately to drive said vehicle, of endless traction chains each adapted to pass over and engage with one iii-ont and one rear wheel, said chains coniprising a series of tread links, a series oil connecting` links adapted to make universal `joint connection between said tread links, transverse pivot pins joiningeach connect*A ing link with one tre/ad link and adapted to engage inthe pe1'i] heral notches olt said wheels, and vertical pivot pins joining'eaoli connecting link with a second tread link.

The combination with i'ront and rear wheels ol a motor driven vehicle, of means for turning;y each Wheel upon a vertical axis l'or .steering purposes, lncnns for separately applying' motive power to nach wheel, tran fion chains, each arranged in the .torni ol' an endless belt connecting' one front wheel with one rear wheel, and having peripheral interlocking engagement with the wheels, each of said chains comprising a series oi' links in universal joint connection with each other.

3. Anendless traction chain yfor caterpillar tractors, comprisingl a plurality of links universally jointed With each other, each link beingl provided with a tread portion projecting outwardly from 4the 4central p0rtion of the link between the jointed ends thereof, and spaced from the tread portions of the adjacent links in the series.

4. An endless traction chain adapted to connect `front and rear wheels of a motor driven vehicle, and to provide a track upon which said Wheels may run, said chain coniprising a Series of links in universal joint connection with each other, and a series of tread blocks adapted to support the -jointed portions of the links from contact with the ground, each of said tread blocks beingsecuredto one of the linksbetween its jointed ends, and said tread blocks having Walls whichfdiverge from the 'opposing Walls oi adjacent blocks to rovideiopen spaces loetween the Alilocks ci) increasing Width "from their bases'totheir tread surfaces.

In testimony whereof we ailix our signatures inthe presence' of two Witnesses.`

RAY GROVER. WILLIAM A. MEYER. Witnesses:

1liiiviimnfrf-rC. WHEELER, IRMA D. Beaune.

'wia bf thisiflht fma'y be ltaihed for live 'vents eae'h, 'by addressinigithe Gommissioner lot-Patents, Washington, 1). fc. 

